We were supposed to have a HUKAB campaign in Barangay San Andres in Cainta last July 24 but I decided to postpone it so that the barangay officials can concentrate on the evacuation of the affected residents. This barangay straddles along Cainta’s floodway and is naturally susceptible to flooding.
Among their 150,000 registered residents, those living on the banks of the river are most affected.
The barangay’s basketball court was filled with evacuees and thus relief goods and food packs were needed to feed them.
The rain was non-stop, traffic was particularly heavy, and my schedule was busy, and my body was feeling more of an old woman. I did manage to go to the Marketplace in Corinthian Hills but their items were limited. I went to the supermarket in Pioneer Avenue and bought hundreds more of assorted grocery items.
I bought spaghetti pasta, pasta sauce, tomato sauce, hotcake, macaroni, evaporated milk, meat loaf, corned beef, and as a filler, I bought some 100 pieces of beef and chicken instant noodles.
Violy and Antonia helped me repack them. Despite the rushed preparation, we managed to have 114 or 117 packs of relief goods. This was not enough but at least pandagdag lang to the hundreds that the barangay needed. Kaunting tulong kahit papaano makadagdag sa ipinamimigay ng barangay.
Barangay San Andres is lucky to have a new leader, Barangay Captain Benson Conde, a 40-year old successful entrepreneur, who genuinely wants to improve their community for the better. Benson said that they have a huge annual budget allocation coming from the National Treasury which is enough to drastically build better facilities for San Andres. He said in the past 30 years, there were no significant improvements and achievements built in their barangay by the previous barangay administration because the funds were suspectedly used to benefit individuals.
He’s been the Barangay Kapitan for one and a half years and he proudly told me that they’ve finished the free airconditioned “burulan ng barangay” located beside the basketball court. Bawal na daw ang sugal pag may burol.
They will construct a new two-story building to house the basketball court and a community center at Sampaguita Street. I hope they name this building Barangay San Andres Sports and Community Center and not after the names of prominent individuals unless 100% of the money will come from the pockets of private personalities.
All the best to Kap. Benson Conde and his 500 employees who are working for the betterment of their community. Kudos too to Barangay Secretary, Jose Mari Ramirez.
I hope hindi sila kainin ng politika pag tumagal na sila sa pwesto. Maraming proyekto allegedly na malaki ang kupit ng mga opisyal, alam naman nating lahat yan. Sana hindi sila mahikayat na gumaya sa nakagawian na ng mga ibang datihang politicians.
